The Price of Heroism
by Spes Aeterna
Summary: If you had the chance to become a Hero, at the cost of everything, would you take it? Izuku doesn't know how any of this happened, but he knows it can't go on any longer.


Picture by Madara_Shin on Tumblr

* * *

Izuku Midoriya didn't know when everything went wrong. Was it because he didn't eat all the katsudon his mom made him yesterday? Or perhaps when he showed up to training class a minute later than the rest of 1-A two weeks after the Hosu Incident? Regardless of why it happened, Izuku didn't know why he woke up holding a gun to a weakened All Might's head, power crackling through his own body, similar to One for All, but different. Hero-in-training Deku took in his surroundings, with a quick glance around. They were in a small, dingy room, all alone, with no cameras visible anywhere. All Might's Golden Age costume was in tatters, much more prominent on him in his natural form. Izuku's own outfit was immaculate, a black vest over a white button-up, seemingly cleaned and pressed this morning. Even his gloves looked fresh out of a factory.

"A-All Might?" His voice was soft, as he moved his arm away, lowering the gun. The former number one Hero looked up at him. The defeat was dull in his eyes. "All Might, what's going on?" Izuku was trembling.

Suddenly, his own voice was screaming at him, his mouth moving on its own. "**What are you doing? Kill him! He made us suffer!"** Izuku tried to let go of the gun, but his hand wouldn't listen to him. All Might's eyes turned from defeat to confusion.

"W-what do you mean? What did he do? Are you… me?" What was going on here? What brought this Izuku into Villainy?

"**You know **_**exactly**_ **what he did! It was that day Katsuki told us to kill ourselves to get a quirk, with the Slime Villain! We ran up when all the Pros stood around and watched him suffocate! We made an opening for All Might to come in and save the day when no one else did! AND WHAT DID YOU SAY TO US ALL-MIGHT!?"** Izuku had never heard this much hate from his own voice before. His arm violently swung up and was pointing the gun at his Mentor again. Izuku tried to pull the gun away, but his body wouldn't listen to him.

"I… I said…" All Might's voice was weak and frail, and it looked like the Hero was barely conscious.

"**YOU SAID 'IF YOU WANT TO HELP, BECOME A COP. IT'S A FINE PROFESSION.' I WAS A HERO THAT DAY, AND YOU BRUSHED IT ASIDE. BERATING ME LIKE ALL THE OTHER PROS THERE. 'YOU CAN'T BECOME A HERO,' YOU SAID. WELL, YOU WERE RIGHT! SO I BECAME A VILLAIN INSTEAD, YOU FUCKING HYPOCRITE!"** This other him was losing it, his voice becoming more and more deranged. Izuku had to help All Might.

"What happened to Ochako? Shouto? Kacchan?" And he didn't have to wait for a response. He saw the other Izuku's memories. Ochako kneeling before him, pledging her loyalty to him for giving her family enough money to continue their construction business. Shouto underneath him writhing in pleasure, begging for more as the TV showed an announcement of Endeavor's death. Kacchan's grave. He started sobbing, and the other Izuku started laughing. It was horrifying. "You monster."

"**Isn't he? He caused** _**EVERYTHING**_**! He killed Sensei. He killed our hopes and dreams. He's a monster. The TRUE Villain."** Izuku's eyes widened slightly. The Monster couldn't read his thoughts, he could use this.

"Let me kill him." All Might's head sank. The Monster cackled.

"**Do it! Kill him! Then we can become heroes! Then afterward, we can find another body for you, a Nomu, and we can put you in there! The more, the merrier after all!"** The laughing was maniacal. He felt him back in control of the Monster's body. He turned the gun over in his hand, inspecting it. A revolver, with a single bullet, ready to fire. The safety was off. To think, today he was supposed to go on a date with Ochako, supposed to take Shouto to an amusement park for the first time, supposed to train with Kacchan and Kirishima tomorrow.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, All Might." The Hero looked up to him again, sorrow in his eyes. "The Price of Heroism is steep. Farewell, Hero. And Farewell…" Izuku pointed the gun directly at All Might, their eyes meeting. All Might's eyes widened. "Monster." The Monster kept laughing.

Izuku tensed, swung the gun to his own temple, and fired.

The Monster ceased to laugh.


End file.
